OAKLAND — The founders of an anticipated bar and restaurant in the Oakland hills have big plans for a small place.

Lisa McFadin and Claudia Ward have been working on the opening of Duvin, A Gathering Place, for the past few months, and they hope to open in late April or early May.

Duvin — which means “some wine” in French — plans to serve wine and craft beers as well as small plates from an eclectic cuisine, according to McFadin and Ward.

“We are creating a space that will be a haven for the community to socialize and engage. A place where everyone feels comfortable hanging out with friends after work. A place where anyone could walk in on their own and feel welcome to hang out by themselves,” McFadin and Ward said.

McFadin and Ward first met when their children attended Thornhill Elementary School and currently attend Oakland School for the Arts, where the duo orchestrated Oakland’s Got Talent last year, and discovered that they worked really well together.

McFadin and Ward signed a lease on 5736 Thornhill Drive in November. What began as a watering hole has morphed into a bar and restaurant.

“As often happens, our plans got changed along the way. Originally, we were only going to serve drinks, but while working with the City of Oakland, plans changed, and now we plan to serve food as well. A kitchen wasn’t in our original budget. Now, in order to serve our patrons, we need to build a kitchen,” Ward and McFadin explained.

Ward and McFadin have launched an Indiegogo campaign in hopes of closing their budget gap. The campaign runs through Thursday.

They plan to invite female chefs through the San Francisco-based organization La Cocina, which cultivates food entrepreneurs by supporting low-income immigrant women striving to make a living in the culinary arts.

The decor is warm and eclectic, oozing with old-world charm. Much of the furnishings and artifacts are repurposed. Every piece has a story, Ward said.

The two have rolled up their sleeves and done most of the renovations.

“It’s been a labor of love,” McFadin said.

“So far, we have done it all by ourselves. We have collected secondhand materials and fixtures from places that give back to communities such as ReStore — Habitat for Humanity, St. Vincent De Paul, Uhuru and Urban Furniture,” McFadin and Ward said.

“I think this place has a ton of potential,” neighbor Noah Kahn said. “We need spaces for entertaining and dining opportunities. Places that are warm and welcoming.

“It’s nice for the neighborhood. There’s not a lot of choice on this side of the Village.”

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